Thanks to Gage's teacher...not sure why I hadn't told him my goal myself, but she told him about it...so Gage has been talking to me about this goal and cheering me on, when he found out I was this close he told me I should start counting Lucy's board books. haha! What a clever kid. Then he laughed and said that would be cheating and I shouldn't do it. I did read a couple shorter books this month, but I still think they count, and they were two books that I had been looking forward to reading.
I learned something about myself this past month, I do not enjoy listening to books. The kids LOVE listening to Wade read every night. (I totally admit I either zone off, or fold laundry or clean up during this time) They have great listening comprehension. When we go on road trips we get several books on cd to listen to and I usually like that, but I tried to listen to books on my kindle this month while running (kill two birds with one stone) and after a couple days I realized how much I hated it! I felt it really took the enjoyment out of reading, I could understand what I listened to and tell you what happened and sure, I was able to get two things done at one time, and I could finish a book a little bit faster, but it really wasn't fun. I don't want to read 100 books just to read 100 books. I want to be able to enjoy this experience. Sitting down and reading is actually fun/relaxing/makes me happy. So I won't be listening to them and running anymore.
Thanks to thanksgiving break I was able to finish a bunch of books towards the end of the month and I finished with 11 books in the month!
The Stranger She Married, Donna Hatch
This was a fast little regency romance read. Cute, nothing bad. Nothing that stood out like crazy to me, but it came in this collection I was able to download. Sometimes fluff books are great.
The Glass Magician, Charlie N. Holmberg
I was really excited for this book! I read the first book in this series last month and really enjoyed it. I love reading new young authors who are so creative. This sequel didn't disappoint and was really creative. I love where the book is leading and I am really looking forward to reading the third book in the trilogy.
The 5 Love Languages of Children, Gary Chapman
I thought this book was full of good ideas. While reading it I was able to come up with some different things I could try for each of the kids, although I think some of my kids are too young for me to really identify their love language yet. It was interesting and I think it was worth my time. I downloaded it for free, but it would be a good book to add to a parenting collection someday. Although with 3 boys I tend to think I can just show them all that I love them with food. :)
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach
So this was a really short book, one of the ones I kinda felt like I was "cheating" by reading and counting it....but I have really been looking forward to reading it. Last summer when we cleaned out my mother in laws sewing room there were a ton of books. She really loved to read and collect books. This was one of her favorite books, the kids all joked about it and said how much mom loved this book. They had all read it. I have never read it until this month, but I decided the copy from my mother in laws sewing room has been sitting on my shelf long enough and that I really needed to see why she loved it so much......
So, like I said, super short, but there is so much you can get out of this book. After I read it, I went to log it on GoodReads and I think everyone gets something completely different out of this book! I think my mother in law loved it because it talks about how you can dream and become anything you want to be. You just need to believe and work hard. Follow your heart.
It's a great book and will only take a little bit of time to read.
I totally suggest it to anyone.
The Princess Spy, Melanie Dickerson
This was a new release book that came out this month. Amazon kept suggesting this book to me based on my reading list, so I thought I would give it a chance. There was nothing wrong with it. It was cute and clean and pretty good. It just wasn't my favorite, or maybe I just was a little bit disappointed and had higher expectations for it. Still a good book - maybe 4 stars out of 5.
Against the Tide, Elizabeth Camden
I have really enjoyed Elizabeth Camden's books. This one was no different, I really enjoyed it. It had some twists and turns that I didn't expect but in the end it all came together and I loved it. She is a great historical fiction author who includes a lot of details in her books, I always feel like I not only get a good book when I read them, but I learn a little bit of history too.
One for the Murphys, Lynda Mullaly Hunt
One of my sisters is a middle school librarian and she suggested this book to me. This is a story about a foster child who lives with a foster family, the Murphys. I really have a love/hate relationship with the ending, but other than that I think it is a great book. I think I would really love to read this one to my own kids. If you enjoyed Wonder, I think you would enjoy this book.
Proof of Heaven, Eben Alexander
One of the sweet ladies at the office Wade worked at gave him this book when his mom passed away. It is a book written by a neurosurgeon and his account of a near death experience. It is way too scientific for me. I don't think it is a horrible book, at all.... but I don't need to scientific proof that there is an afterlife. I just believe and know there is one. There were some parts of his experience that really matched up with what I believe though and I found that interesting.
Flipped, Wendelin Van Draanen
I read The Running Dream, but Van Draanen last month and absolutely loved it. So while at the library this month I decided to pick up a copy of another one of her books. I didn't realize it until I finished this book, but this is a movie too. In the beginning of this book I was wondering if anything was really going to happen and then all of the sudden there was so much more depth to the plot and the story was so much more interesting. I finished this book so fast and I loved it. I think this would be another book that would be great to read outloud to my kids, if you like Wonder, put this book on your list.
Standing up in a sit-down world, Merrilee Boyack
So this was the other "short" book that I felt bad about counting, but I was another book that I was really looking forward to reading. I love Merrilee Boyack and any book by her. I loved some of the ideas in this book about standing up and doing something. I really loved a story about CPR...caring plus response. We can care all we want about something, but until we respond with some action it doesn't really matter. We have to have action. This is a short book, but full of ideas.
I'm not Cinderella, Tarrah Montgomery
This was a book I picked up in the library and totally judged by its cover. I am so glad I found it though, it was such a fun book. The story is about a modern day girl who finds herself in the cinderella story...so nothing new, I am sure there are lots of book similar to this at the library, and parts of it were pretty predictable, but there were such clever parts too, and I loved her writing. It had a great voice to it. As much as some parts were predictable, I did not see the ending coming and I really enjoyed it! This is a new author too, which I love finding and supporting. This is part of a series, and I can't wait to read more of her books.
~~~
Grand total:
93 books done
and only 7 to go!
If all else fails, Gage says I can always get out Lucy's board books and start counting. ;)
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